The Movie Journal

Sullivan's Travels (1942) Preston Sturges’s Sullivan’s Travels is a brilliant satire and an excellent tribute to the genre of comedy. It is also deemed one of the greatest films about film ever made…and keep in mind this film was released in early 1942. Sturges’s socially conscious film was released to indifferent reviews and did not set the box office on fire. As time passed by, the film garnered a much better reputation. Contemporary reviews say the film is one of Sturges’s best films, if not his best film. I thought it was really funny, had a relevant message, and features some fine performances from Joel McCrea and Veronica Lake. As I mentioned, the movie is a tribute to the genre of comedy, and it starts off with a dedication. “To the memory of those who made us laugh: the motley mountebanks, the clowns, the buffoons, in all times and in all nations whose efforts have lightened our burden a little, this picture is affectionately dedicated.” This film was Sturges’s r...

Weird Science (1985) Coming off huge commercial hits such as Sixteen Candles and his most popular work, The Breakfast Club , John Hughes returns with his second film of 1985; Weird Science. His new movie turned out to be a solid hit, especially with the teenage audience group. Written in two days, Hughes created another movie about dweeby students trying to find their way in high school. Unfortunately, I felt this is Hughes’s weakest film. He uses more special effects than his previous films and I felt his work on the film’s characters could have been more fleshed out. As I said, the teenage people will adore the film. The adults may find it a little pandering and annoying. That said, the film turned out to be a cult classic. It is not the Hughes movie I would recommend, but there is still some fun to be had mainly thanks to Kelly LeBrock’s magnetic performance. This film is the combination of your basic teen film formula and Frankenstein. “It’s Alive!” is one of the mo...

Back to the Future (1985) If you were having discussions about what is the most popular film from the 1980’s, I can guarantee that 1985’s massively popular Back to the Future will be one of the names floated around. Not only was it a massive hit with critics and audiences alike, I absolutely adore the movie. Directed by Robert Zemeckis ( Romancing the Stone ) and executive produced by Steven Spielberg, this film is a near-perfect blend of science-fiction, comedy, romance, and action. It is also one of those rare films that children and adults will love. I fell in love with the movie as a wee child, and my father loves this movie himself. Maybe it is the intense charm and chemistry of Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd, or the excellent set design of what the town looks like in 1955, or perhaps that famous Johnny B. Goode scene-but whatever it is, this movie never grows old no matter how many times you watch it. Zemeckis and producer Bob Gale came up with this film’s i...

All the Way (TV Movie 2016) For a television movie, 2016’s All the Way is a mighty fine film. I think the movie would have done very well if released in theaters mainly due to Bryan Cranston’s electrifying, uncanny performance as Lyndon B. Johnson. Those familiar with politics and American history will find the story familiar as it tackles a major piece of legislation- The Civil Rights Act of 1964. Director Jay Roach told this story almost if it was a thriller, which in a sense it is. This film was released on HBO in 2016, which was a very trying year in politics. It also speaks to the film’s relevance, especially here in 2020. The film depicts racism and treatment of blacks in a true, but not so flattering way. It showed how deep systematic racism is, which still sadly exists today. The movie is based of a well-known play by Robert Schenkkan. His play also had Bryan Cranston in the lead role. The two men, along with executive producer Steven Spielberg, decided to tell the...

Cabaret (1972) 1972’s Cabaret …is not your ordinary musical. The old cliché is that musicals are supposed to make you happy. This particular film, not so much. Director Bob Fosse, who spent lots of time around musicals in Hollywood and on Broadway, did not shoot this film like a musical. It is a dark tale that reeks of desperation. It depicts the Weimar Republic in Germany as Nazism was on a fast rise. It showed the decadent underbelly of Berlin in the early 1930’s. The club, The Kit Kat Klub, is everything that the German Nationalists, later known as the Nazi Party, wanted to destroy. The movie takes some time getting used to, but it is one of those movies where it is completely worth the watch because it stays with you for a long time. Even if you somehow hate it, you’ll remember the imagery and the songs. Bob Fosse was quite a character, In his movies, he also acts as choreographer and he is an excellent one. He did an amazing job blocking out the dance moves. The su...

Cocoon (1985) 1985’s Cocoon is a fine science-fiction movie, if not a little on the sentimental side. The main players are all elderly characters, so this movie appeals to the older crowd. As a younger person, I enjoyed the Spielbergian science fiction and charm you come to expect out of a Spielberg production. There is no frenetic pacing or any complicated plot mechanics. Ron Howard’s direction is laidback, smooth, and often goes with the flow. The film was originally going to be helmed by Robert Zemeckis. Twentieth Century Fox, the studio behind the film, was also behind Zemeckis’s first big-budget adventure, Romancing with the Stone. The studio hated that movie and fired him (and that film turned out to be a big critical and commercial success) and hired Ron Howard to take his place. Howard previously directed the fast-paced comedy The Night Shift and the magical Splash . After what he did with the mermaid movie, the studio believed Howard was the right man for this fil...

The Goonies (1985) As a child, I loved The Goonies . The movie seemed to be a rite of passage for every kid growing up in the 80’s, 90’s, and even today. The movie appealed to me because it has treasure hunts! I mean, what kid does not want to go on a treasure hunt? As an adult, I was ready to dive back into the world of nostalgia. The end result? In terms of Spielberg-produced adventures, I did like Gremlins more. That does not mean I disliked this particular movie or anything. It is a fun, highly-energized adventure film with all of those Spielbergian trademarks we all come to know and love. I think I outgrew the main characters. They had wonderful chemistry and acted like normal children, but perhaps I was a little annoyed with them. Steven Spielberg did not direct the movie, only merely produced it. He oversaw the production, however. Spielberg was one of those innovators who introduced “horror films for children”, the trend that grew massive starting in the 1980’s....

Black Lightning: Season 1, Episode 13 "Shadow of Death: The Book of War" “Shadow of Death: The Book of War” is a very fun episode that concludes the politically-heavy, action-packed season finale of Black Lightning’s first season. Some critics and viewers complained because this episode is more anti-climatic in the first half. In a sense, that is true because the show’s protagonist lays unconscious during that half and has dreams with his father, Alvin- but plenty happens to make this episode a rousing success: Gambi proving his worth, a nice battle to end the episode, Lynn taking down ASA agents, and of course the revelation that Martin Proctor is a rogue agent with similarities to today’s government. As Jefferson Pierce lays unconscious in the remote cabin in the woods, Proctor’s ASA team moves in as the Pierce family and Gambi make their stand. Jefferson, within his dreams, converses with Alvin and asks whether or not Black Lightning is worth it. When he final...

The African Queen (1951) John Huston’s The African Queen is one of those movies that you always hear about. Perhaps you have heard about it so much, you avoided the movie at all costs…much in the way that I did. How on earth could I have missed this film considering I am a major film buff and I am a sucker for these adventure stories. Also, I wonder why it took me so long because the films from the past half-century definitely considered this film a major influence. Maybe not Katherine Hepburn’s finest performance, but I thought the film was fun and funny at times. Of course, why would anyone want to avoid any film with Katherine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart? Considering the film was released in 1951, it can almost be viewed as an independent picture. Most studios passed at the opportunity to finance the movie. Producer Sam Spiegel, who produced many epics over the year, had the script in his hands and offered John Huston the opportunity to direct the film. Unlike most f...

Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) Eh…..can we just skip Rambo: First Blood Part II and keep watching First Blood on repeat? Okay, maybe this action-packed sequel is not the most awful movie out there, but the 1985 flick is definitely subpar when compared to the first film. The first film was an excellent character study about a Vietnam veteran prone to violence. This film, while exploring some interesting ideas, turns into the run-of-the-mill action flick. The “returning to Vietnam” plot has been done to death by this point, so I did lose interest. Funny enough, this film was a major hit. Major enough to keep the story of John Rambo going into current day. The screenplay was written by Sylvester Stallone…and James Cameron. Yup, you read that right. The James Cameron that introduced himself with a bang in 1984’s The Terminator. This was an eclectic pairing, and it definitely shows. Cameron has seen better days with screenwriting. According to Stallone, his draft included...

The Sure Thing (1985) Rob Reiner’s The Sure Thing may not be an original coming-of-age story like The Breakfast Club , but we still are treated to an irresistible and charming flick that will grow on you. The movie may not be overly original, and you can predict the ending from light-years away, but that does not matter too much when you’re given a good time. There are no gratuitous sex scenes (which actually surprised me) or anything similar. You are given an old-fashioned movie that focuses on what it is like to fall in love. And yes, this “teen” film also doubles as a fun road trip movie where the film is at it’s best. The film is directed by Rob Reiner, the son of legendary actor/director Carl Reiner. Reiner carved himself a very nice career, which of course includes this film. He understands teen/coming-of-age flicks incredibly well. If you do not believe me check out 1987’s Stand by Me . That is a classic. This film, while not a classic, is Reiner at his sweetest....

Black Lightning: Season 1, Episode 12 "The Resurrection and the Light: The Book of Pain" April 10, 2018 “The Resurrection and the Light: The Book of Pain” is an excellent penultimate episode. It has emotion, graceful battle sequences, good character moments, and the return of Tobias and his new sidekick Khalil- who’s walking again and has tons of anger issues- to Freeland. The episode keeps you busy with its events and there is not a moment to breathe. It is all about Tobias and Martin Proctor trying to end Black Lightning once and for all. They nearly succeed, but of course there are going to be a few surprises. Tobias’s attack on the school is well-done. The battle between Anissa and Syonide is graceful, limber, and intelligent. Syonide is one tough cookie. Things are falling apart for Jefferson. Last episode, he was arrested in front of his students. This episode, the students are under attack. He is running out of places to hide. This episode mainly focuses...

Black Lightning: Season 1, Episode 11 "Black Jesus: The Book of Crucifixion" April 03, 2018 Talk about relevance. With everything going on in the world these days (especially in May 2020), Black Lightning is a show with some extreme topic importance. This episode, “Black Jesus: The Book of Crucifixion” is proof of that because it focuses on crooked cops going after an innocent black man…which in this episode’s case is Jefferson Pierce. This show has been the one to shy away from what happens in the real world. This episode portrays Jefferson as a hero. He could use his powers to zap away the cops, but he does not. He does not give in to hate or fear. He and his family must remain strong if they want to fight and end all of this injustice. The ASA are growing very suspicious that Jefferson Pierce is Black Lightning. Something that would easily end Jeff’s career as a principal. They said the police after him and is taken into custody. Lynn tells her family that i...